Of Memories and Desires
by Serami Nefera
Summary: In the Lightning Thief we see Annabeth and her mother's POV on the affair between Medusa and Poseidon. Yet, what was Medusa's POV and what was her final moments like before Percy cut off her head?
1. Chapter 1

Memory and Desires for Love and Revenge

Summary: Medusa was in love with Poseidon and they made love within Athena's temple. The book mentions Annabeth's version of the tale briefly. Yet, why was Medusa at the temple, how did Poseidon and her meet, and what was her thinking during the last moments of her life.

Disclaimer: I do not own the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Ch.1: Passion Now Lost

Medusa gazed at the children that had come to her shop for something to eat. At first glance they did not look so different from normal children. Yet to her kind, to monsters, they smelled so attractive and appetizing. The alluring scent of sweet flowers and the hint of some powerful narcotic scent that was so very addictive to her kind. _Just take one more bite… try to get it just one more time…_ those were the words it whispered to them. The 'it' was the scent of a demigod.

The scrawny child had the scent of a Satyr and he acted like one. They were rare, but not a very impressive catch. He would make a good statue to sell if possible. The second boy was attractive and tickled an old memory in the back of her mind. A memory of the sea and a passion so intense it filled her with longing. A single name brought forth the memories, pleasant was the beginning and horrible the end of those memories.

_She knelt at the waterside, cleaning the cloths from the temple; it was her duty to do this task this day. She was a young priestess; newly called to the order… more accurately it could be said she was forced into it by her stepmother. Her stepmother had been jealous of Medusa's beauty, fearing that it would outshine her own. She had condemned Medusa to be forever a priestess of Athena, shuffled out of the sight of the young men of her village._

_ She looked up as she worked, her eyes catching a faint glimpse of something before her. The figure stood on the opposite side of the river. The figure was a man; dressed in elegant robes with the darkest black hair that seemed nearly blue as a result. Yet, it was the eyes that caught and held her. Her heart did a back flip as the gazed into those eyes. Vivid sea green eyes gleamed in the handsome face; he was beautiful. A neat trimmed beard etched out fine features and seemed to rouse the eyes to shine with further glory._

_ She stood up straight with a cry of shock and raised a hand up to her throat grasping for a talisman of protection. The man smiled softly in apology as though he was sorry for having startled her with his presence._

_ "May I help you, stranger?" She inquired of the strange man before her. The man was silent for a few moments as he gazed at her._

_ He smiled slowly; a smile that seemed to share with her a secret delight. It roused a smile from her and the man spoke. "I was just traveling back to my home when I saw you… I could not help pausing to look at you. You are lovely for a maiden of Athena… often it is they who can find no lovers that seek the virgin goddesses."_

_ She blushed with pleasure at the implication of the words; taking them for the complement they were. "My stepmother feared I was too pretty for my own good. She sought to save me from my own flaw by giving me to the priestesses of Athena."_

_ He smiled sympathetically, "Jealousy was it? Shame, it is a horrible flaw in people that often festers to disappointment and hatred."_

_ She nodded hesitantly and then spoke, "Will you come and rest in the temple to regain your strength for the rest of your journey."_

_ The man hesitated as he gazed at the temple; a roguish smile on his lap. I doubt the Goddess Athena will like me there much… still, if you desire it you and I may meet there and enjoy the solitude that is given to the attainment of…" He paused for a moment with an impish grin, "…knowledge."_

_ She smile back slowly; her heart filled with joy at the risk this man was willing to take in order to be with her. There would be no more private place than the temple of Athena… there they could hide within her room._

_ She nodded and whispered, "I shall hang a pink cloth at the window of my room. Join me there when the sun begins its descent." She conspired with the man._

_ The man bowed politely to her, "I shall come."_

_ The time passed by quickly and soon the man climbed into her room by her window, so stealthy that he startled her within her own room._

_ They gently began to kiss and she clung to the man. She smelled the brine of the ocean still clinging to his sturdy frame. For a moment she suspected who he was, but refused to voice it. She was afraid that his name might banish him from her room like some fell banishment spell for spirits._

_ Gentle caresses became urgent and more demanding. Slowly cloth fell to the ground and they soon joined the cloth. With this man she claimed the one knowledge forbidden to her hear in the temple of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom._

_ Soon, too soon, it was done. They lay together resting and she finally asked him softly, "What sir… may I know you by?" She already suspected that she knew the answer, but she pretended ignorance._

_ The man laughed at her humorously, "Come now Medusa…" The knowledge that the man knew her name did not surprise her, "…you know who I am!"_

_ "Poseidon, God of the Ocean… Earthshaker, creator of horses." She breathed the words like a prayer, although she knew naught for what she prayed._

_ The man chuckled, "Indeed, fair Medusa."_

_ She smiled sleepily and fell into a content sleep. Her dreams sweet at the beginning, but they ended too soon. "Poseidon! Uncle, defiler of my temple!" Cried an outraged female voice. A glow had filled the room temporarily._

_ Medusa looked up startled and clung to Poseidon in terror as she gazed upon the robed woman. A woman's face who she knew so well… for had she not gazed upon a marble version of that face which stood in the temple. It was the face of Athena._

_ Blonde haired, gray eyes and fair skinned. Athena was lovely, but her eyes were sharp with anger and cold with scorn. "How dare you uncle! Is it not enough that you lay with one who is devoted to me? Must you also commit this carnal act worthy of the temple of Aphrodite here within my temple of wisdom?"_

_ "Calm yourself, Athena." Poseidon said gently with a smile, "You profess being the Goddess of Wisdom and yet you deny the knowledge of love between man and woman. All creatures procreate by this way… save only a few Gods and Goddesses! No shame to you… see, it was done here. No eyes to see and no mouths will talk of it."_

_ Athena looked ready to breathe fire at him, "No shame! No shame you say! Look you hear… now eyes have seen save you two and mine! No mouths shall talk save our three! Yet shame there is! I know what she has done and where she did it. No… this shall be punished!" Athena swore, wrath in her eyes._

_ "Fair Medusa, you called my priestess… wisdom her stepmother had. She is too fair and is vane as a result. Since your beauty you have used to shame me with Poseidon you shall have your beauty twisted. Know this Medusa… you shall be so grotesque that all who look upon you shall die! Your body will no longer be fit for human companionship. I hope you enjoyed you carnality, my priestess, for it shall be your last." Athena ranted._

_ Poseidon raised one hand in protest, "Niece, it was I who caused this. Leave the girl alone…"_

_ Athena turned on him, "Ah, but by punishing her I punish you."_

_ He glared at her in anger, but Athena ignored him and turned on Medusa. A chant filled the room as Athena spoke her curse to Medusa. Poseidon paled as he heard the words and wanted to protest the fate. Yet Athena spoke over his protests:_

"_For you, fair Medusa, a curse_

_For your shameful act with Poseidon_

_Death yields before a fate much worse_

_For your company all shall shun._

_Hands of claws that rakes_

_A gift of an enchanting eye,_

_With hair a crown of snakes,_

_For those who gaze at you will die_

_Your companions shall be_

_Stone before you_

_And you shall live for an eternity_

_For rest comes with a sword true."_

_ Athena smiled coldly in triumph as Medusa's form twisted and the priestess screamed in pain and horror. Her hands became claws that could maim so easily and only with great care might they touch with no harm to the recipient. Her hair writhed on her head, hissing filled the room, and she saw a snake out of the corner of her eyes. She was a monster! It struck her with a shock of grief and pain._

_ She looked over at Poseidon, who was immune from her curse. Yet, his eyes averted from her tarnished frame that made a mockery of her beauty. She sobbed in anguish at that single reaction; her lover would not look upon her. He averted his eyes._

_ "Look at me!" She demanded, desperate for him to look at her. To not abandon her due to her curse. Yet he would not._

_ He spoke softly, "Medusa… you must flee. For here on this land you will be slain by heroes." His voice was full of pain. "I cannot undo what Athena has done… still; perhaps I may be able to assist a little."_

_ "Athena seeks to separate you from all company… yet I shall give you fellows. Two sisters who shall dwell with you. My gift to you, your sight shall not harm them for they shall be as you. Nor shall you harm them…" His voice broke a little, "…also I know an island, at the edge of the world, where you shall be safe from armies and where only the bravest shall go. If you are to eventually die under the sword, than it shall be a hero's sword."_

_ Medusa cried as he spoke; her heart grew with bittersweet joy. A love filling it, he may not look upon her but he still loved her. She would not be alone… She would love him forever for this single act. No matter what doom befell her._

She gazed upon the young demigod boy and knew with a start that shook her to her core. This was a son of Poseidon. A son of her lover and erstwhile protector. She remembered a rumor that she had heard by monsters careful to come before her blind folded.

'A son he had, he broke his oath with his two brothers…' the monsters had told her, '…young Percy Jackson. '

She made her decision; he too would become a statue. She would put a drug in his food to make him sleepy and he would forever stay with her; keeping her company as a statue. The last glimmer of what she had lost. The island Poseidon took her to was gone, the sisters he gave her were faded… yet now, now he could have a faint glimmer of the man she lost. The man reflected in his son. How ironic it was that he bore the name of the hero that had killed her the first time. Persius, the son of Zeus he was… he who had temporarily brought her peace. Persius, son of Poseidon, would grant her company and a faint comfort of a past passion now lost. On top of that, it seemed that he had delivered her also a way to get revenge upon that wench Athena! Her gaze turned to the girl…


	2. Chapter 2

Ch.2: The Sword and Shield of Athena's Daughter

Medusa studied the girl who sat before her, next to Percy. Medusa noticed the little hints in their body language. How he turned slightly to her, with a slight smile… the slight smile that reminded her of her lover. The girl with those accursed lovely gray eyes smiled at him tensely, nervousness and love evident.

'Do you fear me, daughter of Athena… it is well that you do.' She thought viciously at the girl, imagining her turning to stone and, with a swipe of a single clawed hand, shattering into pieces.

She recalled when she had first been sent to the temple of Athena, condemned to be a virgin priestess forever. A state that Athena had cursed her to have to reside in even now as closely as possible.

_ Medusa gazed up at the temple with sorrow, her stepmother had convinced her father that this was the best decision. Her father had committed wrongs in the past and the giving of a child to the Gods might be the best way to seek their pardon. He gave over the crown jewel of his life. Her stepmother gave the gods her rival._

_ The Priestesses had her dress in a simple dress of their order, her hair pulled back away from her face. She was lead before the statue of Athena and the goddess' image made her breath catch in her throat._

_ The goddess was beautiful; the statue was painted to make it more lifelike and better suited to represent the Gods and Goddesses. The woman had gray eyes that pierced like a sword to her very soul; the hair was a lovely blonde, the body lithe and graceful. Yet the expression was so cold and forbidding, it froze her heart._

_ The elder priestess spoke, "Athena was born of a miraculous birth. She was born from the head of Zeus and represents rational thought. She is the Goddess of Knowledge and is also a strong warrior. She is the protector of Athens, having won in her rivalry against Poseidon."_

_"How did she win?" Inquired Medusa softly as she gazed at the chilling goddess._

_ The Priestess smiled in pride as she spoke, "Poseidon and Athena both attempted to give the best gift to Athens. Athena gave Athens the olive tree and Poseidon gave them a spring of seawater. As you can guess, Athena's gift was preferred over Poseidon's; thus symbolizing the superiority of our Goddess over Poseidon."_

_ Medusa frowned at the presumption in the words as she considered the gifts, "A spring fed from the sea would have fish and other sea life in it, would it not? Therefore, were the gifts not equal?"_

_ The Priestess frowned in disapproval, "Hardly! The spring would get no bigger save by godly intervention. Athena's power gave us the ability to thrive if we were wise in the use of her gift. We can grow olives for food and even create olive oil."_

_ Medusa held her tongue and did not speak further, she did not agree with the words of the elder priestess. The priestess continued on speaking, "Anyway…" The priestess said dismissively, "…the Goddess expects that her followers seek to follow her path of wisdom. That we will devote ourselves to the attainment of knowledge and wisdom. All the while we must hold ourselves apart from the distractions of cardinality."_

_ Years passed and Medusa struggled to fit in with the other priestesses. They claimed that she had grown wise as was befitting of a follower of the goddess. Yet she longed for the love that she saw the other Greeks having. The passionate touches and loving embraces, how she wished that she might have been a priestess of Aphrodite._

_ She gazed at the waters near the temple and wished that she had a lover. Even if he left her and could not stay, just one night of love to take with her to the otherworld. She smiled, tomorrow she would get to travel and see more of Athens. A search for more knowledge is what her sister priestesses said. Yet for her it was more, much more. It was a chance to learn about what other gods and goddesses wanted and did. That way, perhaps, her fate would not be so horrendous._

_ She traveled and saw Aphrodite's temple, Zeus', Hera's, Poseidon's, and many of the temples to the other Gods and Goddesses that were not as well known. Yet, while she expected to be drawn to Aphrodite's temple she found herself enchanted by Poseidon's._

_ The God was temperamental according to many stories and credited often as a destroyer. Yet, had he not made the horses. Made the horses, from the winged Pegasus to the normal horses of men. He seemed misunderstood, and Athena's priestesses called him unwise at times. Yet, he seemed more real and enchanting. More of a man that might teach love, may leave, but would not depart such a moment without bestowing a gift._

_ "It is never wise to turn your back to the sea, for it may surprise you", a priest had said in the temple. A warning against becoming cocky and arrogant, the ocean was known to have riptides that could carry you out to sea faster than people could ever guess._

_ A priestess in the temple smiled and stated, "The Sea has many faces as well". Giving warnings against trusting your first opinion about the sea as well as about other people. The words were wise and they drew her in._

_ After returning to the temple she soon sighted Poseidon for the first time; despite her unease with the God's attention she felt a thrill of exhilaration. He was lovely and seemed to love her; oh, she knew it would not last. Gods never lingered with mortals for long, yet such a moment would be an escape from the entrapment of being the virgin priestess of Athena._

_ 'I can be, for a night, who I wish to be… not who I am fated to be." The thought was intoxicating and it swept her up. Caught up by the riptide, nervous over the experience, and yet so exhilarated._

_ She determined that she would never, never regret the experience. For this night she would claim control of her fate, she would break the trap, she would be no longer a virgin, no longer confined in the shroud of the priestess. She would be a woman._

_ She screamed on the island and sobbed as the man turned to stone. She knew she should not have stepped out to see him. Should not have sought to experience that one moment again. Yet she had done so and now he stood before her; entrapped in a moment of complete horror._

_ "This is what love is. A moment that is locked in stone through time, once gone you cannot reclaim it." A voice said from behind her._

_ She turned around and saw Athena standing behind her, cold and stolid where she stood. Medusa clenched her claws and cried out at her, "Time has not done this! You have!"_

_ Athena looked at her coldly, "No, Medusa, you have. It was you who saw Poseidon, yearned for him, laid with him in my sacred place. You have done this… this is your fate. To be a warning and curse to others. People fear you and despite your fall from my service, I will redeem you. For I shall have your head, you head set upon my shield. It shall cow grown men in battle and be an emblem of death. The gorgon."_

_ Medusa scowled at Athena, "You are twisted, goddess. You have a brilliant mind but a twisted heart. By far, Poseidon with all his faults is better than you. I swear to you Athena, I shall get my vengeance upon you. I shall take what you hold pride in one day. I shall turn it to stone and shatter it before your eyes."_

_ Athena laughed at her piercingly and then looked at her scornfully, "My pride is in intelligence. My children, whom I assume you speak of, have a great portion of that. You may run into one of my children; yet they will kill you. You shall find a sword at your throat and it will be theirs."_

_ Medusa shook her head and spoke, "No… I will kill any who come near me. No child of yours will ever draw near me; I will tear them to shreds."_

_ Athena smiled coldly, "Then it shall be what you love that will again destroy you. You shall see… meet with my child, hope for revenge, and die for I always have a plan. I will ensure that my pride and joy amongst my children shall never reach you without your weakness in their hand. Never shall they quest until the means to your doom is in their hands and is their sword and shield."_

_ Medusa stared after her uncertainly as she turned into a bird and flew off. Flying into the sky and out over the water. The words were a riddle and Medusa felt a prick of fear._

Medusa considered her plans to kill the child of Athena first, and then decided that for all the pain Athena gave her Medusa would give double to her child.

'Perhaps I will not kill her first…' Medusa thought vindictively, 'perhaps I shall change Percy first and let her watch as what she loves is taken from her. A fitting vengeance against her mother, for her daughter to die heartbroken.'

The two children spoke in querulous tones at times, the girl petitioning that they leave and Percy wishing to stay. Medusa decided that she would not do that. The girl and goat-boy was already suspicious enough as it was. If she attempted to separate the two children from each other than the warning bells would go off once again.

She asked them if she could take a picture of them; they boy kindly agreed that she could. Sympathy in his sea green eyes; they were such lovely eyes. Yet, fear shone in the gray eyes, unease and yet she followed Percy's lead.

The goat mumbled to himself as he gazed at a statue of a Satyr. Suddenly he gasped and exclaimed that it was his uncle. The girl shrieked for them to look away as she struggled to protect herself and the drugged boy.

He fell to his knees as she stood unveiled before them all. Yet none of the children were looking at her, 'Drat it! Their faces will not be right!' She thought in annoyance as she moved towards the boy. 'At least they are separated'. Now the gray eyed wench would see her lover taken from her; she would feel the pain Medusa had before she dies.

The boy started to look up at her when the girl shouted for him to stop and not look. The boy flinched and gazed back down. His face averted like his father's had been all those years ago. She beseeched him to look up, telling him the truth of the Gods. How they use you and then deliver fates worse than death.

She did fear for the boy, feared that he might one day feel the pain Medusa had. That he would live and live until he was a shadow of what he was. A pawn of the Gods. She decided to repay the favor Poseidon had given her; the boy would suffer as little as was possible. She would try to shelter him from as much pain as possible.

'After all… if I, just a lowly priestess of Athena, lying with the Sea God could rouse Athena to such anger than what would the coupling of her beloved daughter and the son of Poseidon cause? What worse fate would Athena curse the boy to?' Medusa pondered.

She was desperate to ease both their pain as much as was possible, 'gloat while you can, you cruel Goddess, yet I will destroy the boy not for your glory but for Poseidon's. I shall repay kindness with kindness…'

The struggle escalated as the girl distracted her as she spoke to Percy. The goat attacked her; she lost sight of Percy for a moment. Until suddenly her eyes saw the sword. She could not escape in time. She knew it, Athena's daughter had caused this… she had roused the boy too much. The boy was the daughter of Athena's sword and shield; the girl knew Medusa would not kill him with her claws for she desired the boy and the girl knew only the boy could strike her. Thus, he was the daughter's sword. 'Athena always has a plan…' she thought as the sword came at her.

The sword bit into her and her last thought, before her head was separated from her body, was 'killed by another Persius; killed by another pawn of Athena'. His eyes were averted as he struck, but he gifted her with her own one last look upon the face of Poseidon. A gift she would take with her into death, and if she was lucky… she would not revive.

The End


End file.
